How does Notre Dame’s Catholic identity influence the university’s athletic programs?

Athletics are an important aspect of many major universities.  A shared pursuit of excellence—whether as an athlete or as a supporter of university teams—is for most students a fundamental aspect of the traditional college experience.  At Notre Dame especially sports have a special place.  Big-time athletics have pervaded campus life since 1887 when the university’s football team played the University of Michigan in its first-ever game.

The place of athletics at the university has not diminished in recent decades.  For example, Notre Dame’s Athletic Department has tripled its annual expense budget since 1985, while seeing a quadrupling of its annual revenue in the same period.  This is not unique among major sporting universities; interest in and revenue from college athletic programs have increased across the board since Notre Dame and Michigan first met.

Notre Dame’s athletic program is distinct, however, in its responsibility to harmonize athletics with the Catholic mission of the university as one of only two Catholic universities in the ranks of major college football programs, along with Boston College.  One way in which this dedication to the Catholic tradition of the university is manifested is in the tradition of team chaplains praying to Our Lady before the start of each game.

As a Catholic university, Notre Dame seeks to facilitate the growth of the entire student: in mind, body, and spirit.  The Athletic Department, in partnership with the academic and spiritual community, seeks to promote the growth of its student-athletes both inside and outside the classroom.  In its Statement of Principles for Intercollegiate Athletics, the Department commits to “the pursuit of excellence in intercollegiate athletics within the framework of an academic community committed to the University’s educational and religious objectives.”

“Athletics is part of the whole education,” explained Matt Merten, Assistant Director of Bands, “because at a Catholic university you have many people brought up in a very similar way and that background can be drawn on as a framework in practices and in the programs as a way to work together as a team.”

In addition to contributing to the holistic education of the university’s students, the Athletic Department can provide a very visible way for the Catholic traditions and atmosphere of the university to permeate the national scene.  Eighty-three percent of Notre Dame’s students identify as Catholic, and 85 percent of students participate in some form in the opportunities provided by the Athletic Department—from varsity and club sports to various fitness classes and clinics to Bengal Bouts.  This participation rate is much higher than the national college average, which is 55 percent.  The Catholic identity of the university—and that of its students—can be reflected on a national stage through the university’s athletic programs when the proper harmony is struck between academics and athletics in the context of the integration of the faith and athletic excellence of the student body.

Notre Dame has an enormous fan base across the nation and the world, especially among Catholics who identify with the university because of its strong traditions and the way that the Catholic faith is preserved and presented in these traditions.  The university’s athletic programs can be a valuable asset in preserving the Catholic identity of Notre Dame by seeking to educate students in mind, body, and spirit, and by facilitating and promoting a dedication to and support for Notre Dame’s venerable traditions and unique mission via the shared pursuit of athletic and academic excellence.

Alicia Czarnecki is a sophomore studying Environmental Engineering. She was upset that the Tigers could not win a game against the Orioles. Contact her at aczarneck@nd.edu.